Sources: Giuliani won’t run for New York governor — but will run for Senate
posted at 6:38 pm on November 19, 2009 by Allahpundit
Giuliani’s camp says it’s all nonsense but there sure do seem to be a lot of rumors flying around lately. Especially now that the KSM trial’s given him a chance to get back on TV and work his 9/11 mojo.
Head to head with Gillibrand, he leads — by 14 points. Dude, I think this is happening.
A source familiar with Giuliani’s thinking said the failed presidential candidate has been telling people he plans to run against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010 to fill out the remaining two years of Hillary Clinton’s term.
If elected, the source said, he could use that as a stepping stone to run for President in 2012 – rather than run for re-election to the Senate.
Um, no he couldn’t. A RINO like Rudy stands even less of a chance in the primaries now, after McCain’s flameout and the tea-party backlash to less-than-true conservatives, than he did last year. But as a senator? Hmmmm:
54% of registered voters statewide would vote for Giuliani compared with 40% who would support Gillibrand. Even one-third of Democrats report they would back the Republican challenger, and Giuliani runs competitively against Gillibrand in overwhelmingly Democratic New York City.
Gaining the nomination for U.S. Senate does not appear to pose a problem either. By nearly a three to one margin, Giuliani would be the Republicans’ pick when matched up against former New York State Governor George Pataki. If the Republican primary were held today, he would receive 71% of the vote to Pataki’s 24%.
This is actually the perfect follow-up post to Instapunk’s brass-knuckle treatment of a certain Chamberlain-esque RINO candy-ass who shall remain nameless. The springboard for that whole dust-up was CNN’s poll finding that 51 percent of Republicans would rather nominate someone who agrees with them on all major issues — even if he stands a poor chance of winning the general election — than a candidate they don’t always agree with but who can beat the local Democrat. That’s Giuliani to a T. I’m going to poll this one. Generic “true conservative” whom Gillibrand is all but certain to beat or the dastardly squish known as America’s Mayor?
Blowback
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He should run for Governor and stay away from Washington–both as a Senate and Presidential candidate.
Enoxo on November 19, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Rudy may be a candy-ass Republican, but at least he is tough on terror and we won’t see him sharing a love seat with Nasty Pelosi.
bloggless on November 19, 2009 at 6:44 PM
Agreed. I say run, Rudy, run!!!
deidre on November 19, 2009 at 6:45 PM
I question the timing. This comes out know after Barry decides he is going to give Sheik the red carpet treatment. hmmmmmmmm. I believe that is happening as well.
bloggless on November 19, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Giuliani and Scozzafava are completely different beasts, though. Giuliani is not going to back Gillibrand if he loses to a conservative in a Republican primary. He’s also one of the single best people to articulate War on Terror policy in the nation.
Provided he isn’t aped up to support crazy budget-killers like Obamacare and cap-and-tax, he’d do pretty well.
I wouldn’t vote for Giuliani in a Presidential primary, but he’s infinitely better than any libDem New York could possibly produce.
BKennedy on November 19, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Rasmussen released a gubernatorial poll today. Giuliani is only three points behind Cuomo.
Mark1971 on November 19, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Rudy helped thousands if not millions of people during the time of 9/11 with his strength, calmness and courage.
He deserves our respect for that alone.
He has done his part in helping this great country continue to survive.
I hope he runs and wins and ends up chairing the homeland security comittee.
tatersalad on November 19, 2009 at 6:46 PM
He may run, but will he campaign or play golf in Florida?
Knucklehead on November 19, 2009 at 6:46 PM
Rudy is a good guy. He doesn’t need to run for Governor, he ran New York City for cryin’ out loud!
See you in the Senate Rudy.
portlandon on November 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Two words:
Bernard KeriK
How many pictures of the two of them together exist?
patch on November 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Yeah he’s a rino but he’s a law and order guy. So I’d vote for him.
faol on November 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM
The thought of how much his winning would annoy Chuckie Schumer would be worth having a RINO. Gillibrand is Chuckie’s protege.
Wethal on November 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Isn’t Rudy a fiscal conservative? Because RINO’s aren’t…
beatcanvas on November 19, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Yeah, but it was meant affectionately.
SteveMG on November 19, 2009 at 6:48 PM
I like Rudy.
But I hate his abortion stance
I think he did a great job cleaning up NYC.
But I hate his abortion stance
He would probably make a great governor.
But I hate his abortion stance
I’m glad I don’t live in NY. Making a choice of whether he would represent anything above the animal control office would be a painful choice for me to make.
mizflame98 on November 19, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Allah please get over this rino crap. He’s fine for running for senate or NY Gov; just don’t force the guy on the rest of the country.
TimTebowSavesAmerica on November 19, 2009 at 6:48 PM
So?
bloggless on November 19, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Keep with that “RINO candy-ass Rudy Giuliani” language, and Mr. 9-11 is likely to show up and go mental on your weasels.
cthulhu on November 19, 2009 at 6:49 PM
But is he Chamberlin-esque?
lorien1973 on November 19, 2009 at 6:49 PM
If Peter King and possible George Pataki are also running for Senate — presumably against Gillbrand and not Chuck Schumer — then you have the fun situation of all of the state’s highest profile Republicans running against each other for one seat, and giving Schumer and (probably) Andrew Cuomo a free pass next fall in the other senate race and the gubernatorial election, in a year that is looking like it will be awful for Democrats.
Strategic thinking like this among New York State Republicans pretty much explains how you got Dede Scozzafava as the NY-23 nominee.
jon1979 on November 19, 2009 at 6:49 PM
At least he won’t make us pay for someone else’s. He has enough sense to not make that mistake.
bloggless on November 19, 2009 at 6:50 PM
It can’t be denied that Giuliani is liberal on the social issues, but calling him a RINO is a bit like calling John Wayne a “nancy-boy.” It just doesn’t fit and I think your poll will prove this out.
Jim-Rose on November 19, 2009 at 6:50 PM
Ugh. NY, please keep him. Great mayor, but we don’t need another squish in the senate. We’re all full.
HornetSting on November 19, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Rudy will be hard as nails on terror and on President Hamlet.
ddh on November 19, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Also, Rudy left NYC with a huge operating deficit that Bloomberg had to clean up. Rudy was a good economic conservative, but not a fiscally conservative one. He was endorsed by the NY liberal party, y’know.
TimTebowSavesAmerica on November 19, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Oh come on, AP, for New Yawk, Rudy is Pat Buchanan (no offense intended, Pat).
cynccook on November 19, 2009 at 6:52 PM
He was for public funding of abortion during the campaign.
TimTebowSavesAmerica on November 19, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Poll results so far not surprising.
You know what folks really want–someone who stands their ground when challenged by the cultural elites. That is this man.
For there are RINOs (who are too influenced by either winning the acclaim of the elites are avoiding the pain associated with standing up to the left), and then there are RINOs (who may not actually want some of the things they espouse, but believe they are the best that can be got in the current situation), and then there are people who just aren’t social conservatives. Rudolph Giuliani just isn’t a social conservative. It’s New York. No problems.
Horatius on November 19, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Rudy is not a squish!
Ted Torgerson on November 19, 2009 at 6:53 PM
The thing about Rudy is that he’s a tax cutter and a law-and-order guy, so any real or perceived squishiness extends to social issues only. Thus, that meme really doesn’t wash with Rudy…in NY. I voted for him over J-Mac in the primary, and I’d do it again.
Jorge Bonilla on November 19, 2009 at 6:53 PM
The Senate makes more sense if he’s setting the stage for a White House run. However, probably the only way Rudy gets to the White House is if is invited there when as Attorney General or Homeland Security director under a future GOP President.
As patch pointed out above Kerik is a big drag on any future campaigns.
dedalus on November 19, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Go Rudy!
jaime on November 19, 2009 at 6:53 PM
He’d be taking back Hillary’s old senate seat, which would be fun, too.
Wethal on November 19, 2009 at 6:54 PM
Single issue voters are worse than Libs in my opinion.
uknowmorethanme on November 19, 2009 at 6:55 PM
I wouldn’t be surprised in Palin endorsed Rudy.
deidre on November 19, 2009 at 6:56 PM
Yep.
lorien1973 on November 19, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Yes, go Rudy! The only RINOs I’m not interested in are RINOs who are fiscal RINOs. That ain’t Rudy. He may be moderate to downright liberal on many social issues but that’s not what’s important now.
Tack on his rock-solid national security/foreign policy credentials and he’s exactly the type of person we need in the United States Senate. Run, Rudy, run!
Red Cloud on November 19, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Rudy’s that rarest of all political animals: a bad-ass RINO.
And as long as “bad-ass” includes stopping the insane government spending binge, and immediate domestic fossil fuel and nuclear development, I say:
“Go Rudy.”
notropis on November 19, 2009 at 6:57 PM
How about Rudy in NY and Huck in AR?
huckleberryfriend on November 19, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Yep.
ElectricPhase on November 19, 2009 at 7:01 PM
RUDY RUDY RUDY. I still want him as Governor though.
Is this your new tactic for not being called a RINO, Allah? Call people we love candy-ass RINOs?
jimmy the notable on November 19, 2009 at 7:01 PM
On which planet?
HornetSting on November 19, 2009 at 7:01 PM
Hmmmm…
upinak on November 19, 2009 at 7:01 PM
+1
Allah flopped big-time here. Rudy proved in NYC he knows how to govern, lead and kick ass doing so.
Methinks there’s some deep-seeded subconscious Yankee-fan hatred going on here from the pathetic Beta Mets fan.
jimmy the notable on November 19, 2009 at 7:02 PM
It is for the rank-and-file republicans (not the elite) of NY to decide. Have a good raucous primary.
dIb on November 19, 2009 at 7:03 PM
To be fair, if one views abortion as murder, then it is not illogical to have thoughts akin to “Candidate X is really great on most of the issues, but I am having trouble getting past the time he chopped his neighbors into itty bitty bits with his axe…”
It’s simply both an emotional and integrity issue that obviously others don’t feel–and that’s also acceptable–but to mizflame98 it is perhaps not so much single issue as an overriding issue. And we all have those touchstones, certain lines in the sand that cause there to be no bargain. In that respect, we are all to a certain extent single issue voters. It’s just for the majority–if we were to be honest with ourselves–the issue comes down to the letter (R or D) behind the name.
Horatius on November 19, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Two words:
Seriously????????????
Yeh it is a problem
Really ???
CWforFreedom on November 19, 2009 at 7:07 PM
I’d be happy with Rudy in the senate. Sure i’d love to have a real conservative instead, but seeing as with any vote which includes the people of the city of New York you have to take what you can get. And I am one who wants a more principled party. Rudy is at least decent. Can’t say the same about Specter, Snowe, Collins (the Maine sisters because I can’t imagine a liberal voting too much worse than they do), Graham (him because a state that can elect Jim DeMint, is a state that can strive for purity).
clement on November 19, 2009 at 7:07 PM
I don’t see Giuliani as a RINO at all. I’m a social con and he was not my 1st choice, but no question he’s got decent conservative cred in my book. I lived in a New York City that was prosperous and safe because of Giuliani and the boys in blue. Just because I didn’t go for him in the primary doesn’t mean I don’t think he should hold office. Whatever he decides to run for, he should go for it.
evergreen on November 19, 2009 at 7:08 PM
Good Giuliani can win.A lot of people are calling Rudy a Rino he is not a Rino.He never hide what he believes in. I personally believe he,s a slight center right Rep.
thmcbb on November 19, 2009 at 7:09 PM
As long as he is no dhimmi, I’m for him.
Disturb the Universe on November 19, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Rudy as a NY Senator? That would be a best case outcome. Do it Rudy!
AUINSC on November 19, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Honestly, I don’t think I would call Rudy a candy ass.
And this is New York we are talking about. And the Senate.
Terrye on November 19, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Wow, thanks for giving us some real balanced choices in the poll. Not!
Narutoboy on November 19, 2009 at 7:12 PM
Rudy is probably the best NY can hope for in a statewide election.
I am not exactly a huge fan, but I don’t consider him a RINO. At least he is solid on economic issues, war on terror, death penalty, etc.
Norwegian on November 19, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Well, that makes at least 3 of us. Maybe we can start a club
We’ll call it the “Allah, Stop Calling Rudy a RINO Club”, and Allah is banned for life.
Rudy should be governor, but he apparently wants the Senate. I hope he’ll actually campaign this time
Janos Hunyadi on November 19, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Rudy has a past, that’s true. BUT he’s been vetted forward and backward. We know his skeletons. We know his RINO past. I think he’s smart enough to realize there’s no room for RINOs in the future and I doubt he’d betray the American people by campaigning one way and then voting another once in office. Like someone else said, for NY, I think he’s good.
Oink on November 19, 2009 at 7:14 PM
Rudy ain’t no Bill Buckley, but he;’s no RINO
angryed on November 19, 2009 at 7:15 PM
I want Rudy to run against Bloomberg.
mad saint jack on November 19, 2009 at 7:15 PM
My only problems with Rudy are on social issues. I would rather have a fiscally conservative Republican like Rudy who is strong on foreign policy than some no name “true” conservative with no chance of winning. Normally, I would have picked the true conservative over anyone else. But I like Rudy on most issues and he can actually win.
UKFB2 on November 19, 2009 at 7:18 PM
He’s a hawk, likes tax cuts…. Can we honestly expect anything better from New York for the Senate? Buckley only held on to one term. And that was in the ’70s.
I hope we finally toss out Specter and Casey, but I wouldn’t bet on Pennsylvania just yet. Philly is the land of the living dead voter and ACORN.
PA Guy on November 19, 2009 at 7:18 PM
That’s not really fair to Rudy, allah.
Rudy is not a candy ass RINO….he it a tough mofo ex prosecutor who holds some socially moderate views, but more than proves himself staunch conservative worthy with his war on terror stance and fiscal conservativism…which is all that really matters right now in the fight against total Democratic control……..
Anti-Harkonnen Freedom Fighter on November 19, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Giuliani is no RINO. He was a conservative fiscal hawk in NYC, as well as fighting against crime. He resurrected NYC, no thanks to Bloomberg. Giuliani is ideal.
He might be pro-choice, but abortions were reduced in NYC during his tenure.
cubachi on November 19, 2009 at 7:21 PM
Will Rudy vote right on national security? yes.
Will Rudy vote right on fiscal issues? yes.
Will Rudy vote right on social issues? no.
Good enough.
tetriskid on November 19, 2009 at 7:21 PM
I like Rudy enough to vote for him (in this poll).
He doesn’t want to be governor — the NY budget is a mess and he wants nothing of that crap sandwich.
I don’t necessarily agree with an all the time go for the hardcore conservative even if means defeat. You aren’t going to get a hard core conservative for a New York senate seat. NYC alone will see to that. So gets as much as you can.
rbj on November 19, 2009 at 7:22 PM
The McCain wing of the party is ticked off that the Democrat running as a Republican was slapped to the curb. The constituency having a say in the candidates makes people like Allah insecure. He’d rather have the party mired in the McCain wing and the party has other ideas. Hence the snit fit.
We all know that the state of New York is filled with candy-ass liberals like Allah. It is not going to be a venue where a true social conservative will do well. NJ’s Christie is another Republican to the left of the base. In these instances, so long as they don’t violate a few key indicators (abortion, 2nd Amendment rights, DOMA) you’ve got to go with the candy-ass that might get Allah to vote the right way. It’s a trade-off and far more nuanced than serving up McCain as a Reagan Conservative or serving up Scozzafava as a Republican at all. Candy-assed liberals are too bitter over their loss of power to understand.
highhopes on November 19, 2009 at 7:22 PM
RINO is so overused.
Rudy isn’t a “RINO” anyway. He’s good on most issues.
therightwinger on November 19, 2009 at 7:23 PM
No Palin… No Huck… No Romney… No Giuliani… No Fred!… No Paul rEVOlution… etc, etc, etc… in 2012…
Pawlenty or Mitch Daniels or whoever… maybe Condi… just get some fresh faces in there… all those others can try again in 2016…
ninjapirate on November 19, 2009 at 7:24 PM
My friends who live in Manhattan would vote for Rudy for any office…that says a lot to me…
ladyingray on November 19, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Rudy Giuliani…
I don’t know how to categorize him. He’s not a Conservative Conservative… but then again he’s not a Liberal Liberal….
Honestly, I think he fits the definition of a “Republican”.
He’s for lower takes, getting people off welfare, punishing ccriminals, keeping warfare seperate from criminal justice… you know, all those things that are the opposite of the Democrats.
I would classify him as a “man of reason”, and vote for him on that basis. (Call him what you want, I’d take Rudy over a damn fool any day.)
Jones Zemkophill on November 19, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Should have added that a fiscal conservative is a non-negotiable starting point. Even candy-assed RINOs would probably support that.
highhopes on November 19, 2009 at 7:25 PM
Rudy kicked as while I lived in NYC.
I saw it from street level from pre Rudy to post Rudy….the man was, bar none, the most effective politician in terms of making serious, concrete changes while he governed.
You had to see it to believe it.
Dude went over board with his authoritarian streak at the end of his tenure but 9/11 allowed us to forgive him.
To hell with his social views, this guy kicks arse and doesn’t need to take names….he just dumps the bodies of the slackers and leeches and moves on.
We need this guy in Washington.
rickyricardo on November 19, 2009 at 7:26 PM
I think you can vote for a “2 out of 3 ain’t bad” guy in states like NY, Cal, Ill, MI, Mass and not feel too bad about it. It is a different story when you’re talking about a state like Florida or SC. The standards have to adjust to some extent to the electoral realities of the state, but there has to be some cut off point here. To me if you can’t figure out if they vote with you more than they don’t (Snowe, Specter), it is never worth it. Rudy isn’t a social conservative at all, but he can fight hard on other plank issues. Whether than makes him a “RINO” or not probably depends on a persons thresholds, but I don’t think we could do any better in NY.
stldave on November 19, 2009 at 7:27 PM
There are a lot of people called RINOs that are good on most issues… I really don’t like it…
ninjapirate on November 19, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Nothing better for a weak argument than a high-profile outlier! Look, over there, it’s a staunch conservative on everything but social issues! That’s what all liberal Republicans are! Therefore anyone complaining about the lack of conservative leadership in the party is a moron! QED!
spmat on November 19, 2009 at 7:27 PM
As a New Yorker, I wouldn’t be opposed to Rudy as either a Senate or Gubernatorial candidate. While I certainly wish we had a stronger conservative possibility, I’ll take Rudy any day over Cuomo or Gillibrand.
A strong conservative candidate would be wonderful, but NY is a liberal state. Classic cons are a tough sell here. And no, it’s not because all NYer’s are obtuse, it’s just that legions of them have been conditioned to believe in leftist dogma. The good news is a lot of them are waking up after a long and delusional sleep.
anXdem on November 19, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Proud Rino.
portlandon on November 19, 2009 at 7:29 PM
I like Rudy and would vote for him for President.
artchick on November 19, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Here’s an interesting question, far more interesting than Allah’s snarky poll….
If you were in Rudy’s position and potentially could win as either a US Senator or Governor of NY (where the Gov. has some real power and influence), which would you choose?
Despite all the problems, I think most ambitious politicians would choose the Governorship and the opportunity to be one of 50 over the Senate where they are one of 100 with zero seniority in a system where people who were partying with George Washington are still on the job.
highhopes on November 19, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Such as? McCain? Graham? Snowe? Collins?
Name one is “good on most issues”. I’ll bet they’re only good on one issue: foreign policy.
As far as cap and trade, amnesty, spending, abortion, and everything else, they’re a melange of progressive positions lacquered over with conservative framing.
spmat on November 19, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Pretty much.
Asher on November 19, 2009 at 7:32 PM
Oh…the ever open minded single issue voter.
Giuliani is as good as you’re going to get in NY. The party needs to be expanded in the North East. He’s great on fiscal issues and national security. It’s a slam dunk, IMO.
therightwinger on November 19, 2009 at 7:33 PM
The bad news is that NYC is still slumbering. There will be no fundamental change so long as the typical liberal NYC attitude prevails where most of the votes are. I know, my brother is one of them and he’s all for Obamacare (which means that Thanksgiving will be all about meaningless small talk for yet another year).
highhopes on November 19, 2009 at 7:35 PM
As one of those dastardly RINO jackasses, I’ve been thinking about why am I ok with fiscal conservative purity test. I’d suggest it is because unless people are ideologically strong against government is just too easy for legislators to vote to spend money–even ignoring interest group pressure. People just feel that they are being nice when they vote to spend other people’s money. It takes a degree of insight into the world to know that actually it’s not nice to vote to spend other people’s money. It’s close to stealing. (I’m not a libertarian, so I won’t say it is stealing. I’m just saying it is somewhat akin to stealing.)
thuja on November 19, 2009 at 7:37 PM
My sentiments too. Go for it, Rudy.
Cicero43 on November 19, 2009 at 7:40 PM
Well, I don’t like RINOs. It isn’t about the overall voting record. It’s about when a RINO decides to give aid and comfort to the enemy. McCain wanted no-strings-attached amnesty for illegals. Snowe and Collins consistently are single votes against the rest of the GOP. And don’t even get me started on Specter before he jumped back to his true party.
For what it is worth, I don’t consider Rudy a RINO or a candy-ass. He’s not a social conservative but he generally has principled or realistic reasons for his positions that go far deeper than the excuses a RINO like Collins gives in the aftermath of betraying her party.
BTW, I respected Wellstone for much the same reason. I would never be on the same side of an issue as a committed radical socialist but he had principled and consistent reasons for his positions. RINOs flit around without any consistency.
highhopes on November 19, 2009 at 7:41 PM
For all you RINO candy-asses voting Yes for Rudy Giuliani….Never Forget
The Ugly American on November 19, 2009 at 7:41 PM
No, Mrs. Scozzafava, Rudy will not be needing your services.
SouthernGent on November 19, 2009 at 7:41 PM
Good question. All things being equal, I think you’d go for the governor race. But isn’t the Senate the easier mark to win, and then hold? Isn’t Cuomo likely to make a play for the governor spot?
If so, politically, Guiliani is on much better turf here.
stldave on November 19, 2009 at 7:43 PM
My only problem with Rudy, and it’s sort of major, is that he has about the same respect for civil liberties as does the president of Singapore.
I’m willing to gamble that he won’t act on his baser instincts in this arena, as long as I believe he’ll stop the hemorrhage of federal money and aggressively increase our domestic energy supply — oh, and kill terrorists, which should go without saying.
Yup, three issues. Because if we fail on those, our positions on everything from abortion to press freedom or gun ownership will be determined by the Chinese or Iranians, and I’m guessing none of us will like any of their decisions.
notropis on November 19, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Well, this should be interesting……
di butler on November 19, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Actually, I don’t consider Rudy to be a RINO. He is generally fiscally conservative and is tough on terror. I also like the way he ran New York City when he was mayor (even before 9/11). I thank him every time I go out walking at night after 9:00 p.m. without fearing for my life or wishing it were legal to carry a concealed weapon in NYC. I happen to disagree with him on almost every social issue, but there is room for him in the tent. I don’t want him as a president, but I am all for him serving as a senator from an otherwise ultraliberal state.
Doodad Pro on November 19, 2009 at 7:44 PM
Yes he is. He turned NYC from an economic basket case into a thriving city. He did such a good job that it survived Bloomberg. It won’t survive a Bloomberg/Obama combo, I’m afraid to say.
Ann NY on November 19, 2009 at 7:45 PM
It’s like anyone who isn’t 100% pro-life in every single instance these days is labeled a moderate or a RINO right off the bat.
Well, by comparison, Dede Scozzafava makes Rudy Giuliani look like Eric Rudolph. Rudy’s basically a passive pro-choicer, as opposed to Dede, who basically goes beyond being pro-choice to being outright pro-abortion.
Anything else Rudy isn’t to the right on? Gay rights. Pfft. OK.
Rudy ran NYC in a fiscally conservative – fiscally RESPONSIBLE – fashion. He understand the concept of the Laffer curve. He didn’t putz around with failing policies in the police force.
He’s a smart guy and a strong proponent for fiscal responsibility and conservatism. He doesn’t line up with me 100% on every issue. That didn’t stop me from supporting him for President in 2007.
Red Cloud on November 19, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Further to my 7:44 post, I would also rather have him than O-ma-ma.
Doodad Pro on November 19, 2009 at 7:46 PM
I am from NY originally (upstate) and the Republican party cannot get themselves out of a paper bag. A halfway competent child could run that party better. So it would be just like them to throw all they have at Gillibrand and not bother with Cuomo or Schumer when they SHOULD because they anti-dem sentiment, even in places like NY, are going to be at high tide.
Govgirl on November 19, 2009 at 7:46 PM
Giuliani isn’t a RINO. He is pro-choice and moderate on certain issues but he is reliable on key issues such as National Security and Fiscal Policy. I am skeptical of his indifference towards illegals when mayor in NYC but he claims it was to help fight crime and I think he’ll be pretty tough when it comes to our border.
As far as moderate Republicans go, Giuliani is a great candidate; especially from New York. Go Rudy.
Daemonocracy on November 19, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Isn’t there something for getting your foot in the door first before taking down the biggest scalps? I’m asking seriously and literally in this case. I’m very much in tune with the landscape in the midwest and much of the south. Not so much northeast. I operate on the assumption that NY will always be a tough nut to crack statewide. But then I was a guy who didn’t believe Christie would really win in NJ too.
stldave on November 19, 2009 at 7:51 PM
These days what makes someone a rino is that he’s soft on fiscal coservatism, not social issues like Rudy. I actually think he has a chance to win the Republican primary if he runs a smarter campaign this time.
red26 on November 19, 2009 at 7:52 PM
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